


The Call to Sea

by treya_barton



Series: Mutiny of the Heart [1]
Category: Persona 4
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-01-13 14:17:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18470665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treya_barton/pseuds/treya_barton
Summary: This is the prologue to Mutiny of the Heart.  Part 1 will cover Yosuke's life before becoming the Pirate Captain Jiraiya and Part 2 will cover Yu's life right before he boards the merchant ship that changed his life.





	1. The Origin of Jiraiya

It was late in the afternoon in the small, colorful port city of Inaba.  Yosuke Hanamura, the son of a local merchant, was walking through the marketplace with his childhood friend Chie Satonaka.  Their families lived on the same street and they had both grown up causing mischief in town.  In fact, Yosuke was still trying to shake off his reputation for attracting trouble while Chie caused much of it herself with her infamous hot temper.  Today, however, he was just accompanying her as she picked out some ingredients for her mother for supper, and he was doing his best to keep her from buying anything too strange for the sake of her parent’s stomachs. 

They had just been about to step into the butchers so Chie could partake in her favorite shopping exercise – picking out what meat she wanted for dinner – when they overheard ruckus on the street behind them.  They both turned, and upon realizing what was going on, Yosuke immediately ducked down his head and tried his best to look away.  A young woman was crying as she was being dragged away by the officers employed by the governor to act as enforcers for the tax collector.  The man in question looked on with a carefully neutral expression, holding back a little boy who was crying as his mother was being taken from him.  Yosuke felt his temper flare, but he knew that there was nothing he could do about it.  When he noticed Chie began to step forward, he quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her back while shaking his head, trying not to feel too guilty as she glared back at him.

“We have to do something!” she hissed, pointing at the scene as the young woman was being dragged toward the debtor’s prison, and Yosuke frowned.

“If you step in, they’ll just jail you too for interfering,” he hissed, and Chie let out a frustrated sigh.

“I hate this,” she replied, sounding defeated, and Yosuke gently squeezed her arm in solidarity before letting go.  The people on the street around them were similarly looking away, and Yosuke could overhear quiet talk of how the taxes were getting harder and harder to pay.  Everyone looked exhausted and stressed, and suddenly Yosuke couldn’t stand being around there anymore. 

“I think you can pick out the meat on your own.  I am going to head home,” Yosuke said, and Chie nodded in understanding before waving as he walked away and melted into the crowd.  It didn’t take him long to reach his parent’s home, one of the nicer ones on the street but nowhere near as big as the Kujikawa’s who were the most influential family in town other than the governor who lived just outside of the city on his sprawling estate.

Yosuke quietly stepped inside, closing the door and waving away their butler who came to see him and take his jacket.  He noted that it was quiet inside, and figured that his parents were probably talking in his father’s study.  He made his toward the study and reached for the door, hesitating when he realized he could hear his father talking inside.  “I don’t know what to do,” his muffled voice said, and Yosuke quietly sucked in his breath before pulling his hand away.  He had never heard his father sound so defeated before.

“What do you mean?” his mother asked softly, Yosuke having to strain to pick up on her quiet voice.

“I believe the governor is plotting against me now.  I knew it was dangerous to speak out against him so many times, but I couldn’t say nothing while the people suffer,” his father replied.  “I overheard talk that he will accuse me of some sort of fraud so I can be thrown in jail.  I don’t know what will happen to our family and our reputation if that’s the case.”

“But it’s not true,” his wife replied.  “Surely, you would get a trial and the truth would come out.”

“The way that man works, I have serious doubts about that,” Yosuke’s father sighed.

Yosuke grit his teeth and took a few steps backward, clenching and unclenching his fists a few times as he tried to calm down.  He then turned and stormed back outside, not wanting his parents to know he overheard them and unable to sit around after what he had just learned.  He listlessly wandered the streets of Inaba, until he finally arrived at a familiar destination and looked up at the large estate that housed his other childhood friend, Rise Kujikawa.  She was the young heiress to the estate and they were the richest family in town and technically even had more money than the governor.  They were the one family he tended to leave alone since they had some influence with the King.  Yosuke reached up and rapped on the door, and was immediately let in by Rise’s butler who lead him to the parlor before going to call her down.

When Rise entered the room, dressed as always in the latest city fashion, he noticed that something seemed to be upsetting her.  He held back his own concerns and asked, “What is it?” while Rise plopped down on the tastefully decorated chair across from where he sat on the settee. 

Rise sniffled slightly, before replying, “That shop girl that always has the best priced goods in the market was thrown in debtor’s prison this afternoon,” she replied.  “I wish I could do something for her.  I want to just pay her taxes for her, but what about next time?  And all the others who have been thrown in jail?”  Rise clenched her hands and looked down, her body tense as guilt washed over her.  Yosuke knew that because Rise’s family had so much money, she often felt guilty about the situation of the townspeople, but the few times she had quietly tried to help someone it always backfired with the governor reacting by then raising taxes more or finding some loophole to take the money without it benefiting the family.

Yosuke bit his lip, feeling even worse since he had witnessed the young woman get dragged away and had done nothing to stop it.  “I’m sorry, Rise.  I know how distressing it is for you,” he replied, and she let out a breath before looking back at hm.

“What is wrong with you?  Don’t think I didn’t notice your expression when I walked in the room,” she said.  “Something grave has happened, hasn’t it?”

“More like something grave is about to happen,” Yosuke replied, before explaining what he had overheard his parents say.  “I don’t know what to do.  My father is right – if he gets thrown in jail I have no idea what it will do to my family.  We rely on the money from his mercantile business…  I’m sure the governor will seize that if he has father jailed.”

Rise frowned.  “My grandmother was saying recently that she was worried about your family.  Your father is one of the few that speaks out against the governor,” she replied.  “I’m sure your father will think of something though.  He’s a good man.  And you know if something does happen you and your mother are welcome to stay here.”

Yosuke nodded his head, although he wouldn’t want to be a burden on the Kujikawas.  “Thank you,” he replied, with a small smile, before standing back up.

“Leaving so soon?  I was just about to call for tea,” Rise said in surprise.  Yosuke nodded his head. 

“I think I’m going to go for a drink,” he said, and Rise frowned.

“Just don’t get into trouble this time,” she replied accusingly, and Yosuke grinned at her before waving and heading outside to where the sun was setting over the harbor.  He made his way to his favorite tavern, the one on the rougher side of town where he wasn’t liable to run into anyone from one of the circles he knew.  It also was notorious for the occasional scuffle that Yosuke always managed to get dragged into, even though he didn’t know most of the men that frequented it.  He enjoyed going there because of the anonymity he had, and he loved hearing stories from the sailors and working class men.  The one person that did recognize him was the woman who owned the tavern, and she slid him his usual ale once he sat down.  He grinned at her and tried to relax as he listened to the other men talk, leaning in once he realized one of them was talking about a recent pirate attack that had happened.

“They attacked those Tanaka Merchants.  You know, the ones that always jack up their prices,” one of the men said before taking a swig of his beer.

“I say they deserve it,” another replied.  “Those pirates are the real heroes.”

“Now if only someone would sic those pirates on the governor,” a third said, albeit in a low voice while looking around a little nervously.

“I wish,” the first also whispered.  “It’s impossible to live with these taxes.  I heard another one got jailed this afternoon – she’s a sweet one too.”

Yosuke suddenly didn’t feel thirsty anymore as the talk turned back to talk of the governor and his taxes, and he found himself staring down at his tankard for several moments before throwing some coins on the table and standing up.  He hadn’t finished his drink, but it was honestly the last thing on his mind at the moment.  He headed outside, easily making his way through the lantern lit streets even though it was a dark night, since he had grown up in Inaba and knew the whole town like the back of his hand.  He made his way to what he honestly considered his second home and picked up a small stone from the dirt patch outside Chie’s window, knowing she was probably inside due to the fact a candle was lit.  He tossed it lightly at the window, making a light tapping sound, and moments later she slid it open and stuck her head out.

“What are you doing, Hanamura?” she asked, reverting to his last name like she always did when he was in trouble.  “You do realize your maid came by looking for you earlier.  Your parents were worried when you didn’t show up for dinner.”

Yosuke did feel a little guilty about that but let it roll off his shoulders.  There were more important things to worry about.  “We need to do something about the governor,” he said bluntly, and Chie raised an eyebrow.

“One moment,” she said, ducking back into her room and grabbing her coat before climbing out the window.  She climbed out to where she was hanging off the window ledge while Yosuke positioned himself under her, reaching up and catching her as she let go as they had been doing for years.  Once he set her down, she turned to look at him with her hands on her hip.  “What are you going on about now?” she asked.

Yosuke briefly explained his family situation before adding how frustrated he was hearing about how the governor was making everyone’s lives difficult.  “I just…I can’t sit around and do nothing anymore,” he admitted. “If I do what will happen to my family?  And everyone else who’s suffering?”

Chie let out a sigh before pointing out, “You were the one who said earlier there was nothing we could do, remember?  If you try to do anything they’ll just recognize you and then your family definitely will get into trouble.”

Yosuke was quiet for a moment, for an idea had already been growing in his head.  “Unless…” he started, before trailing off.

“Unless what?” Chie asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“Unless I’m not myself,” Yosuke said, almost more to himself, before he suddenly turned and began rapidly walking back to his house.

“Hey, Yosuke, wait!” Chie shouted before hurrying after him, cursing him under her breath.  Whenever Yosuke got one of his wild ideas, he always moved quickly without thinking too much on the consequences.  “What are you talking about?” she demanded in a low voice as they approached his house.  Yosuke cut through the back to avoid being seen by one of the servants, and climbed in through his window which was located on the first floor.  It was always easier for him to sneak out than it was Chie.  She slid in after him and watched as Yosuke headed to his wardrobe and threw it open before searching through his clothes.

“Ah hah!” he said quietly as he pulled out an old costume Chie hadn’t seen in years.  She felt her face blanche as he said triumphantly, “It won’t be Yosuke Hanamura who goes after the governor – it will be the Pirate Captain Jiraiya!”

Chie burst out laughing, albeit while covering her mouth to avoid making too much noise, and she had to lean against the windowsill due to laughing so hard.  Yosuke rolled his eyes, turning so he could quickly change into the getup, throwing on the white jacket lined in green he had bought himself one day at the market, along with the red cloth and black hat he had always used for the costume.  It wasn’t fancy, but it was enough to hide his identity since it covered most of his face.  Chie finally stopped laughing and began to catch her breath, before eyeing him worriedly.  “I’m starting to think you’re not joking,” she said, and Yosuke nodded his head.

“I am perfectly serious,” he replied.

“Jiraiya is a name you made up when we played pirates and Navy as kids,” Chie pointed out.  “You’re not a real Pirate Captain, Yosuke.”

“It doesn’t matter if I am or not.  What matters is if others believe me.  Besides, the only one who knows this name is you.  And possibly Dojima,” Yosuke said thoughtfully.  Dojima was a Naval Commodore who lived in town and was the main one Chie and Yosuke harassed as kids due to being the only person they actually knew in the Navy.  A lot of their childhood had been spent being chased around by the exasperated older man.

Chie looked at him for several minutes before asking, “Are you really going to do this?”  Yosuke nodded, and from the expression in his eyes Chie could see peeking out from his hat and red scarf she knew he was being serious.  “Then I’m coming with you,” Chie replied firmly.

“Wait,” Yosuke said, suddenly considering the amount of danger he would be putting her in.

“Wait nothing.  I was always loyally part of your crew then and we’re not changing that now,” she replied stubbornly.  “So, what’s the plan?”

Yosuke gave up on arguing, knowing that when Chie got that determined glint in her eye he wouldn’t win.  “Well, while a crew of two worked when we were kids, we’re going to need more than that to storm the governor’s estate,” Yosuke admitted.  “But I know just where to go.”  Yosuke pulled a hat and green and yellow scarf out from his wardrobe for Chie so she could cover herself too before leading her back to the tavern which had given him the inspiration for the idea in the first place.

Yosuke was nervous as he stood outside the door to the tavern with Chie by his side.  What he was about to try to do constituted treason against the throne, and if he got caught there would be dire circumstances for him and his family.  Honestly though?  Yosuke knew the circumstances for his family were about to be dire either way.  It was the only thing that allowed him to step into the room and walk over to the bar, feeling relief when the tavern owner didn’t recognize him in his getup.  She seemed surprised by their outfits, even more so over the fact Chie was obviously a woman, but didn’t comment on it.  “What will it be?” she asked.

“Two ales,” Yosuke said, doing his best to mask his voice.  He then sat down and leaned against the counter, trying his best to appear more confident than he felt.  Chie nervously plopped down next to him, kicking him when she noticed he was starting to anxiously jiggle his leg.  The tavern was full of more people than it had been when Yosuke left, and other than a brief lull in the conversation when they had both first walked in, it was pretty loud with people talking about work and taxes.  The tavern owner plopped both ales on the table for them, and Yosuke took a swig of his drink to calm his nerves before dropping his payment on the table before he could forget.  He listened to the conversation for several moments while eyeing the room to ensure no one was inside that he knew was loyal to the governor.  He wasn’t expecting anyone like that to be at a place like this, but knew at this point he couldn’t take any chances.  Once he was sure he was in the clear, he took another swing of ale before raising his voice.  “If you all are so upset by this governor, why not run him out of town?” he asked.

At his words, the tavern grew deathly silent.  Yosuke knew he had everyone’s attention and did his best to hide how scared he actually felt.  “And who are you?” the man from earlier asked who had first brought up the pirate story.

“The name’s Captain Jiraiya,” Yosuke replied lazily.  “I couldn’t help but overhear you all were complaining about the same thing.  Why not do something about it?” he asked.

The men exchanged looks, and Yosuke felt his heart sink as he realized no one seemed on board with the idea.  “You’re probably not from around here, so don’t go sticking your nose where it don’t belong,” a merchant Yosuke had seen at the bar before snorted.  “That kind of talk will get you thrown in prison.”

Yosuke rolled his eyes and stood up, doing his best to stand straight and appear cocky.  Fortunately, false bravado was something he had perfected throughout his years of playacting as the Pirate Captain as a kid.  Chie leaned back in her chair next to him, also doing her best to hide how nervous she felt.  “You think that sort of thing scares me?” he asked flippantly.  “Last I checked just the act of being a pirate will get you thrown in jail, and then hanged.  Never stopped me.”

Quiet chatter broke out in the room at that, and Yosuke shrugged his shoulders before taking another sip of his ale.  He then turned to Chie who looked pale but was doing her best to appear bored instead.  “Let’s go gunner.  Looks like everyone in this town is too much of a coward,” he scoffed, before heading toward the door.

Chie began to follow him, and Yosuke had just stepped outside when he heard scrambling behind him.  “Wait!” one of the men shouted as several of them poured out the door after him.  “You really think we can run off the governor?”

“Of course.  There’s far more of us in this room than him and his officers,” Yosuke pointed out.  “If we go straight to his estate he probably won’t have very many of those either.”

“It’s treason though.  The King’s the one who appointed him,” one of the other men added.  Yosuke peered past him and realized the rest of the men were either gathered at the doors or at the windows to the tavern which they had lifted up in order to listen.

“So what?  The King is all the way across the sea.  Not much he can do,” Yosuke replied.  “You just have to be swift about it.  Or you can continue to drown under his stiff taxes.  It’s up to you.”

The men all begin to argue with one another, some obviously keen on the idea while others were much more cautious.  Yosuke let them argue, feeling a little less anxious now that he appeared to have some men on board with the idea.  Next to him Chie looked a little impressed and had also visibly calmed down.  Finally, the first man stepped up to Yosuke and said, “I’m in.  At this rate anything the King could do would be preferable to what the governor’s doing.  This isn’t living,” he said.  Several more stepped over next to him, and it was almost as if he had breached the dam as more and more joined them until none stood in opposition anymore.  Everyone was fed up with the governor and ready to do something about it. 

“Alright, let’s storm the estate,” Yosuke said, pulling out his pistol his father had given him as a coming of age present and leading the way.  He had always been a great shot and a good swordsman, although for the latter he had pretty much taught himself and adopted a rather unconventional style.  He wasn’t like the upper class gentleman that got more formal training.  Chie followed him, and while she didn’t have any weapons on her Yosuke had seen her in many scuffles growing up and knew she could hold her own in hand to hand combat.  The rest of the men grabbed an assortment of items to use as weapons, some of them tools that they used at work while others had actual guns or swords themselves.

Once they reached the governors estate and stormed in, it was thankfully a short scuffle, since as Yosuke had pointed out the governor did not have a lot to physically protect himself at the estate.  He had been relying on the power awarded to him by the King and hadn’t expected any sort of opposition.  They literally broke through the gate, came in through the front door, pushed past the staff that immediately got out of the way, and made their way to the governor’s bedchamber where he quickly surrendered and agreed to leave town.  While the men celebrated in the estate’s main hall, with a select few overseeing the governor as he packed his things and prepared to leave town, Yosuke began to realize that he may have been a little too hasty with his plan.  He hadn’t thought at all about the aftermath, for while it was true the governor only had his small group of officers to back him and the tax collector up, the King could always send the Navy or soldiers in to turn things back over to the governor.

So, Yosuke approached the first man that had spoken up and pulled him aside, stating he had some business to attend to and wanted to put him in charge until he returned.  The man looked suspicious until Yosuke gave him his pistol to hold onto until his return.  The man glanced down at it and quickly ascertained how valuable it was before nodding his head and agreeing.  Then, Yosuke and Chie slipped away so he could go to the only person he could think of for help.  When Yosuke lead them to the door of the Commodore’s estate, Chie gave him a questioning look but didn’t stop him as he nervously rapped on the door.  It was opened a few minutes later by the butler who was in his night clothes and looked surprised to see such strange looking people at the door.  Yosuke quickly pulled down his scarf to show his face and asked, “Is the Commodore in?  Let him know I want to speak to him.”

The butler let out a sigh before motioning them in, waving at the parlor where Yosuke and Chie had often been dragged to as children before Dojima had gone to get their parents, before heading upstairs to get his master.  They were both too nervous to sit, and Yosuke began pacing back and forth while Chie rubbed her arms nervously and stood facing the door.  Once Dojima stepped in, dressed in only breeches and a linen shirt with a mixed expression on his face that both looked peeved and a bit concerned, Yosuke finally stopped pacing.  “I screwed up,” he said, and Dojima let out a deep sigh.

“I already figured that.  Do you know what time of night it is?” he asked.  He took in both of their outfits as well and added, “And why the hell are you both dressed like that?  I thought you finally grew up and stopped playing at being pirates.”

“This time…I kind of became a pirate,” Yosuke admitted, and Dojima clenched his jaw.

“Explain, Hanamura,” he said, crossing his arms, and Yosuke suddenly felt like a kid again.

“I kind of pretended to be a pirate captain and just chased the governor out of town,” he admitted, before looking at Dojima sheepishly.  “I didn’t really think things through and am turning myself in.  I’m taking the blame for everything – it was my idea so please don’t get anyone else into trouble.”

He stared Dojima in the eye, and while he was terrified, he stood his ground.  “Wait, it was my idea too,” Chie interjected.  “If you’re getting into trouble, I should too!”

Dojima reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose before letting out a deep sigh.  “I…wasn’t quite expecting that,” he admitted.  Yosuke tensed while waiting for the Commodore’s verdict.  “But somehow I’m also not surprised.  I overheard rumors about what the governor was planning on doing to your father,” Dojima added.  “I wish I could have done something about him myself, but at my rank my hands were tied.”  He frowned.  “There’s no need to turn yourself in.”

Yosuke blinked in surprise before turning to look at Chie who looked similarly bewildered.  “The governor is a coward.  While there is a mob in town that hasn’t been apprehended, he won’t be returning here,” Dojima added.  “And I can guarantee you that the Navy won’t be stepping in for him either.  We have enough on our hands these days with pirates as it is.”

“Really?” Yosuke asked, and Dojima nodded.

“Now I can’t guarantee that the King won’t still try to do something, so it’s probably best if you two skip town for awhile until things calm down.  I’m sure your family can help you come up with a cover story,” Dojima mused.

“What about the people who helped me?” Yosuke asked, and Dojima shook his head.

“There isn’t much I can do for them, I’m afraid,” he said.  “They did make their choice, one that helped out the town and their families.  I’m sure they’re willing to face any consequences,” he added.  Yosuke looked down, not really accepting his words, until a thought suddenly overcame him.

“Thank you, sir,” Yosuke said, before looking up and shooting him a smile.  “Try not to be too disappointed in what I’m about to do, though.”

“What are you talking about?” Chie asked, as Yosuke tugged on her arm and headed out the door.  Dojima let out an exasperated sigh, obviously dreading whatever Yosuke had going on in his head this time, while Yosuke lead them back to his house.

“I think we should become pirates.  For real,” Yosuke said, his mind racing.

“You can’t be serious,” Chie replied.

“I am serious.  Earlier, those men.  They talked about a pirate who stole from a dirty merchant.  They almost seemed to view him as a hero,” Yosuke replied.  “If we leave as pirates, we can ask those men to come on as our crew and ensure if the Crown does try to do something, they won’t be able to reach them.  And with Jiraiya prowling the waters, the Governor won’t be back anytime soon.  Dojima’s right – he is a coward and if he doesn’t get any sort of force to back him up, he’ll stay out of town.  And you heard Dojima, as long as we don’t do anything truly dirty he’ll probably leave us alone.  We can protect Inaba and pay back those men who helped us run off the governor.”

Chie let out a deep sigh while shaking her head.  “You’re insane,” she said.  Yosuke frowned and slumped his shoulders until Chie added, “But I guess I am too.  Only problem is, we don’t have a boat.  And neither of us know how to sail.”

“I can fix that,” Yosuke replied, stopping in front of his house.  He took a deep breath before striding inside, startling his parents who had been waiting up for him and looked worried sick.

“Yosuke, thank god you’re alright,” his mother said.  “What did you drag Chie into this time?  We heard there was a mob out there tonight!”

“There was,” Yosuke replied.  “And I led it.”  His parents stared at him in astonishment, and Yosuke quickly launched into the details about what happened that night and all the things he had learned and experienced.  Yosuke’s mother covered her hand over her mouth, obviously worried over his actions and his decision, while his father looked torn between feeling exasperated and proud.

“So, you want my ship, do you?” his father asked.  “You’ll have to change the name.  Mine is registered and would easily be tied back to me.”

“I already have a name,” Yosuke said, thinking back to the one he had always used as a child.  _Garudyne_ was a fitting name for a ship, especially one as fast as his father’s.

“Are you sure about this, Yosuke?” his mother asked, and he nodded. 

“I’ll need you to come up with a cover story – like I’m learning the family business or something,” he said.  “I’ve decided that I’m going to support Inaba, even if the Crown won’t.  I know some people may not want to trade with us anymore after running off the Governor, so I may be the only one bringing income into port for awhile.”

“Who will be in charge with the governor out of town?” his father pondered.  “It’s going to be a tough job, especially without the support of the Crown.”

That gave Yosuke an idea.  “Mother, can you pack me a bag?  I need to go see someone else before I go,” he said, and she sighed before moving forward to give him a hug and a peck on the cheek first.

“Just be careful,” she said, placing both hands on his cheeks and staring him in the eyes, expressing all of her worry and love before waving them off.  His father similarly clapped him on the shoulder before offering to walk Chie to her parents to help explain the situation to them.  Yosuke knew that her parents, who were always pretty lax, wouldn’t mind her traveling with him, especially since it would give her more opportunities than she would have as a woman in town.

“I’ll be back!” he called, before rushing over to the all too familiar Kujikawa estate.  He bypassed the front door and instead tossed a rock at Rise’s window, hoping she was awake even though her room appeared dim.  To his relief, moments later it opened up and she stuck her head out, her hair resting on her shoulder in a long braid she always slept in.

“Yosuke, what are you doing?” she asked.

“I need you to do something for me,” he said.  “I’m asking a lot, but I trust you are the best person to handle it.”  Yosuke knew how much Rise wanted to do for Inaba and knew with her family’s power and influence she was probably the only one who could pull it off.  Rise looked confused until Yosuke dived into his explanation over what he had done that night.  She stared at him in surprise, and by the end of the story looked concerned.

“Yosuke, piracy is not a safe occupation,” she scolded, and he nodded his head.

“I know.  Hopefully, I won’t have to do it forever.  And I’m going to sail to Okina to get some more experienced sailors to join the crew,” he said.  He had concocted the idea on his way over to the Kujikawa’s.  “I’ll be ok – I promise.  I just need to know that you’ll look out for Inaba for me while I’m away.”

Rise let out a breath.  “Of course I will,” she said.  “You and Chie just be safe, ok?”

Yosuke nodded before covering his face back up with his red scarf and waving goodbye.  He then ran off, heading back to pick up his bag and Chie before they returned to the governor’s mansion with a proposition for those who had helped them.  He accepted his pistol back gratefully before making an offer to the men who helped run off the governor to join his crew and in the process help protect Inaba.  To his relief, most of them were on board with the idea, and there were a few other young men who had showed up once they heard what was going on who also signed up.  One was a tall, lanky fellow that Yosuke had seen around town with bleached blond hair and a scar over his eye.  Yosuke would soon learn his name was Kanji, and he would become integral to keeping his ship in top condition due to his ability to sew and mend pretty much anything.  Yosuke gave them time to gather up some belongings and say goodbye to their family, before he led them to the harbor where his father’s ship had just received a fresh coat of paint, covering the previous name _La Fleur de la Mer_ and proudly sporting the new name, _Garudyne_.

Yosuke felt nervous about his decision, but he knew there was no looking back once he stepped foot onto the ship.  In one night, he had already changed the course of his life, his best friend’s life, and everyone who lived in Inaba, and he had to stand by that decision no matter what.  Especially if he was to lead these men.  He turned to glance at Chie, who nodded at him encouragingly, before turning to face his new crew.  “The rest of my crew was left in Okina for shore leave,” he fibbed, “so we will head there next to pick them up.  Remember, we sail to protect and support the people of Inaba.  The Kujikawa family will be in charge going forward, but it is highly likely the port will be receiving less trade from the Crown without the governor in power.  Everything we do will be to support the families you’re leaving behind today.  Understood?” he asked, and he couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride at the loud “Aye!” he got from the crowd in reply.

He then brought them onto the ship, grateful for the few sailors who had chosen to join them that were able to get everything into a semblance of order.  Yosuke walked throughout the vessel, the ship very familiar to him since he had been on it many times growing up, and he familiarized himself with it yet again, realizing that going forward this was going to be his new home.  He directed Chie to a small cabin that his family would often use when they would travel on board, while he took over the captain’s quarters, throwing himself on the freshly made bed and realizing his father had done a lot of work to get the ship prepared for him while he had gathered up the crew. 

Yosuke noticed a letter sitting on what was now his desk and stood up to walk over to it, picking it up and smiling when he realized it was from his parents.  They wrote that while they were certainly worried about him, they were also proud of him and knew he would do a great job protecting Inaba.  They would support him every step of the way, and they encouraged him to focus on his crew and not worry about them.  They would be fine in Inaba and had the Kujikawa’s, the Satonaka’s, and Dojima to support them.  Yosuke felt tears come to his eyes at the letter and sucked in his breath, carefully holding back those tears before he carefully folded up the letter and tucked it into his pocket, knowing he wouldn’t be able to leave something like that out for someone else to see.  He then squared his shoulders and prepared himself to step onto the deck.  From here on out, he would no longer be Yosuke Hanamura, and would need to embody Captain Jiraiya in order to lead the crew.  Yosuke flattened the hat on his head, promising himself to get something a little more flashy and fitting for a pirate captain later, before opening the door and stepping onto the main deck.


	2. The Confines of Society

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a look at what Yu's life was like prior to encountering the Jiraiya Pirates for the first time.

Yu stepped into his carriage and shut the door, waving to his best friends Kou and Daisuke who were cheerily seeing him off since he was the first to leave from their hunting trip.  Daisuke’s family owned a smaller country estate separate from their main one in town that was known for being excellent for deer hunting; several times a year he would invite Yu and Kou to the estate so they could escape the normal boredom of society and be themselves, if only for awhile.  It was unfortunately going to be their last truly free trip since Daisuke would be getting married soon and start having family responsibilities of his own.  Yu could tell his friend was dreading it, for while his family had deemed in a good match, his fiancée didn’t seem to like him too much, and he was expecting their marriage was probably going to be miserable.  It wasn’t an unheard of thing when you were expected to marry for your family instead of yourself.

Kou hadn’t made his mood much better, teasing him the whole time.  Yu could tell Kou did feel bad for his friend but knew that if he let Daisuke continue to be negative it would only encourage him to spiral down even more.  By teasing him it kept Daisuke on the defensive and in an odd way kept him from feeling too depressed by feeling annoyed instead.  Yu, meanwhile, had merely shown his sympathy, knowing that for him and Kou it was only a matter of time before their matches were decided for them.  They could only hope that whoever she was the family picked out, it would be someone they got along with at the end of the day.

Yu let out a sigh before leaning his head back against his seat, staring up at the ceiling of the carriage instead of out the window.  He usually tried his best not to watch the scenery, since it always let him know how much closer he was to returning to the monotony of his family estate where he had to deal with his parents and the normal lack of things to do between the balls he was forced to attend.  It was all so trivial, and he couldn’t stand being around the gossip where everyone tried to show of their children and boast about their wealth and connections.  Other than helping his father run the estate and balance their books, Yu didn’t have much to do and would often go horseback riding or hope Kou and Daisuke were also in town so he could go with them to the gentleman’s club for cards.  He tried to spend as much time out of the house as he could, and on days where he was stuck inside due to weather he often holed up in his family’s library to read or write letters to his uncle and cousin in the colonies. 

Yu dared to look out the window and frowned, realizing that through his musing he was already halfway home.  It always seemed like the return trip was much shorter than the trip away, and he couldn’t help but wryly grin over the fact when he was leaving the estate he always eagerly stared out the window the whole way since it was such a contrast to the return trip.  Yu truly felt bad for Daisuke, realizing that he wouldn’t really be able to escape anymore like they did now since he would have to travel with his family once he was married.  Yu had already received his wedding invitation and had it sitting on his desk as a reminder, remembering not knowing what to say to Daisuke the next day when they had met up.  It would be one thing if he had seemed to get along with his fiancée but…  Yu shook his head.  The best he could hope was that once they began living together they would learn to get along. 

An unfortunately short amount of time later, Yu finally spotted the gate to his family estate and tensed when he realized he could see two figures in the distance standing outside the doors waiting for him.  Based on their manner of dress, he knew it wasn’t any of the servants and realized it had to be his parents.  Yu sucked in his breath, wondering what would have them waiting outside for his return like that.  Normally they would be out in town or inside working on their day to day tasks; he couldn’t remember a time they had ever waited on his return.  Once the carriage pulled up next to the doors, Yu stepped out and the sinking feeling in his gut got even worse when he noticed the odd expressions on his parent’s faces.  They were both trying their best to appear pleasant, which in of itself was odd since they tended to be stoic, and he could tell they were masking an almost guilty demeanor.

“I am so glad you got home safely,” his mother said.  “Why don’t you come and join us for tea?”

Yu glanced at his father who wouldn’t quite meet his eyes and nodded unsurely before following them into the parlor where they would occasionally take tea together.  Often the family would take it separately in their own room of choice.  “So, what is going on?” he asked cautiously, and his parents exchanged glances while his mother poured the tea.

“I received a letter from my brother while you were away,” she started.  Yu perked up at the news since he was very fond of his uncle.  “It seems he was recently promoted to Admiral,” she explained.  Yu was certainly happy for him, but he was confused as to why his parents had waited for him outside to give him that kind of news.  He knew there had to be something else.

His mother seemed unsure on how to continue, so his father took over.  “Now that the mess in Inaba appears to have died down, and since your uncle seems to be doing so well in the colonies, your mother and I thought it was a good idea to send you over there for a trip.  We know how you have missed your cousin and uncle and thought it would be good for you to visit.”

Yu blinked at the news, feeling a little bit of excitement over the idea of getting to travel to somewhere new, but he still couldn’t help but feel like there was something else.  “You know I would love to go see my uncle and Nanako,” Yu said.  “And traveling to the colonies would certainly be an adventure.  But I cannot help but feel you are still keeping something from me.”

His parents both tensed slightly at his words, but their faces remained mostly impassive.  “I am not surprised you noticed.  You’ve always been very observant, even as a child,” his mother admitted.  “Your father and I have been having difficulty securing you a match with the society we live in.”

“Because I do not come from old money – even if I make more money than the lot of them – many are not keen on joining our family,” his father explained.  “They want to marry into a family with an established history, and those that have shown interest are far below your station.”  Yu felt cold fear begin to form in his chest as he realized where the conversation was headed.  “There is a family in Inaba – the Kujikawa’s.  Your uncle speaks highly of them.  They are the ones who have essentially been running the town since the governor left.  They have a granddaughter and Ryotaro believes she would make you a good match.”

Yu did trust the judgement of his uncle, who he knew would be a little more sensitive to his feelings than his parents, but it didn’t stop him from feeling a little bit betrayed.  He had to fight down those feelings though, and adopted the persona he knew his parents expected as the obedient son.  He knew what his family duty was.  “When am I to leave?” he asked, thinking about Daisuke’s wedding.

“In a week’s time.  I have secured you passage onto my friend’s merchant ship that will be heading that way and will drop you off in Inaba by my request,” his father explained.  “I know it means you will miss your friend’s wedding.  I am sure he will understand.  We will be sure to give them a nice wedding gift to make up for it.”

Yu bit his lip, and couldn’t help but let his mask slip for a moment, allowing the turmoil in his heart to show on his face.  His parents exchanged glances, both of them out of their element and unable to figure out how to comfort their son.  Yu stood up, announcing, “I am going to go out for a ride,” before abruptly leaving, neither parent moving to stop him.  They always allowed their son to work things out on his own and trusted him to return ready to accept his fate.

Yu immediately headed to the stables, meeting the stable boy halfway there who ran out to greet him.  “Could you prepare my horse?” he asked, and the young man nodded before rushing off ahead to get his horse Izanagi prepared for him.  Once the horse was saddled up, Yu mounted his gray steed before heading around toward the back of his estate that had wide fields perfect for riding, speeding up to a gallop once he was sure he wouldn’t be around anymore of the house staff.  As he rode, he couldn’t help but allow his thoughts to flow freely and for him to allow himself to feel all the fear and disappointment he had been trying to hide from his parents.  While his life was boring, at least here he had his friends and small ways to escape the monotony that was the societal life.  While he should be excited about the journey and going to see a new place, he couldn’t help but feel shackled by the fact he was finally going to have a destiny forced upon him without much choice in the matter.  Just like Daisuke who he felt empathy for, he would be forced to court some unknown young lady that he wasn’t sure he would get along with let alone form romantic feelings for.  In fact, Yu mused, part of the problem is he had never shown interest in any of the young ladies in town, even when several had definitely shown interest in him.  He was sure if he had, maybe his parents would have had an easier time finding him a match.

He sighed and slowed down his horse to a steady trot, before turning him to start heading back to the estate.  While he felt trapped over the idea he had to follow the path set to him by his parents, he knew as their only child and the male heir he had to do what was expected of him, no matter what his private feelings were on the topic.  Still though.  Yu lightly tugged on the reins to slow Izanagi down, stopping and staring at his family estate which he could spot in the distance across their land.  Yu had always wished that his family had less money, that he had been allowed to take on an apprenticeship and make a name for himself.  He never wanted to be a landowner like his parents, but knew what was expected from him and what he had to do.  Yu leaned forward and nuzzled his face in Izanagi’s mane, taking comfort in his natural smell, and trying to do his best to calm his nerves.  He knew when he returned his parents expected him to be back to normal and ready to accept his duty, and he heaved a long sigh before sitting back up, eyes focused back on his home as he used pressure in his legs to encourage Izanagi back into a light trot.  ‘Looks like it’s finally time to face my destiny,’ he thought glumly as he headed back home.

A few days later, Yu met up with Daisuke and Kou one more time before he was set to leave.  It was at a ball held by Kou’s family, and the young man had been forced to dance with several ladies most of the night since his parents were also hoping for him to find a match.  Yu hadn’t danced with anyone, feeling it was his right to rebel since his parents had already decided it was impossible for him to make a match in town anyway, while Daisuke had danced once with his fiancée.  When Kou finally was able to break away from his dances, they all disappeared into his family library for some brandy to get away from the noise and the crowd.  “You’ve been awfully quiet all night,” Daisuke pointed out, for he had been free most of the night due to only being obligated to the one dance and had spent it standing next to his reticent friend.  “I mean, more so than usual.”

“When I got home from our hunting trip, my parents were waiting with a surprise,” Yu explained.  “I am being sent to the colonies to visit my uncle and my cousin.”

“That is great news!” Daisuke replied.  “I wish I could get the opportunity to travel like that!”  He was obviously also feeling trapped and could appreciate Yu’s opportunity to get away.  “I don’t see why it has you looking so glum though.”

Kou seemed to catch on.  “What’s her name?” he asked politely, before handing Yu his glass of brandy.

Yu took a deep sip.  “Rise Kujikawa,” he replied.  “Her family is very influential in town.  My parents and my uncle both think it will be a good match.”

Both Kou and Daisuke looked at him sympathetically.  “Looks like you will be the only free man left,” Daisuke told Kou.  “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

“I am sorry, but it looks like I won’t be making it to your wedding,” Yu added.  “I leave on Friday.”

“It’s alright.  I think I would rather you not be there to see that,” Daisuke replied, also taking a large sip of his drink and wincing as it burned on the way down.  Both Yu and Daisuke glumly looked down at their glasses, before Kou broke the mood.

“Hey now, we don’t know what’s in store for all of us,” he said.  “Maybe you will like the girl and maybe you and your fiancée can learn to get along.”  He threw his arms around both of their shoulders, spilling a little of his brandy on Yu who narrowed his eyes as Kou laughed.  “Let’s enjoy our last evening together as unwed men, why don’t we?” he asked, a twinkle in his eye.  He then stood back up and placed his glass between the three of them, before looking at both of them expectantly.

Daisuke and Yu exchanged glances before shrugging and doing the same.  “To our fortunes and future!” Kou shouted, clinking their glasses together, and Daisuke and Yu grinned before echoing his statement and doing the same.  They then kicked back the remainder of their drink, all three of them gagging slightly but appreciating the relaxed feeling that sunk in as the warmth from the brandy made its way to their bones. 

“I’ll be sure to write you letters of all my experiences,” Yu promised.

“I’ll need them,” Daisuke sighed, and Kou rolled his eyes.

“You act like you’re the one about to go across the ocean,” he replied.  “If you need a break, you know you can always come for a visit.”

Yu felt a twinge of jealously at the statement since he knew for awhile he wouldn’t have that option, although he was sure he would still have some enjoyable experiences in a new place as well.  Also, it wasn’t like he would be there forever.  He did have to return home to inherit the estate eventually.  The three of them wound up drinking and talking long into the night, sharing stories about the hopes and dreams they would never get to realize, and laughing over some of the trouble they had gotten into in their youth.  It was never of the mischievous sort, but with all three of them having so much land on their estates they were prone to getting lost or getting themselves hurt as they ran around playing as boys.  It was a nice moment with his friends, and when Yu finally left to rejoin his parents in their carriage ride home, he couldn’t help but think it would be a fond memory to reflect back on in the upcoming months.

A few days later, after Yu had packed all of his essentials in a sea trunk, he and his father made their way to their family carriage after Yu bade his mother farewell during breakfast that morning.  She almost looked like she regretted seeing him off, and had been a bit teary eyed when he had pulled away from their hug goodbye.  His father also seemed a bit down that morning, especially as Yu stepped into the carriage and turned to look at his family home for the last time for awhile.  It was funny, since normally Yu tried his best to avoid looking at the estate, but now that he was leaving he couldn’t help but watch it for as long as he could.  Once it was finally out of sight, he turned to face his father again and asked him questions about the trip ahead of him.  Yu’s father went over the plans for the trip, telling him how long he would be at sea and how he would be in good hands on his friend’s ship.  He also went over what the different families were in Inaba and how things were a little bit different in the colonies.  He added that he knew Yu would manage well and figure it out as he always did.  When they finally reached the port, his father trailed off and stared out at the sea, before turning to face his son.  “You know that I am proud of you, right son?” he asked, staring Yu in the eyes as he spoke.

Yu blinked in surprise, but steadfastly stared back, not expecting such a confession from his father.  “Of course,” he finally replied, for he knew that both of his parents thought highly of him.

His father reached forward and squeezed his shoulder, before saying, “I know you may not be happy with us.  But this trip will be good for you at the very least.  We both still want you to enjoy yourself,” he said, and Yu nodded before stepping out to get his trunk.  His father then walked out to speak to the captain, before bringing him over to introduce him to Yu.

“We’ll take good care of your son,” the captain assured Mr. Narukami, allowing them to make their final farewell before Yu followed him up the gangplank and to the small cabin that would be his room on the journey.  The captain left him there, obviously having more important things to take care of than babysit a gentleman’s son, and Yu stood in the door for several minutes, surveying the tiny room with a heavy heart.  While it did mean a lot to him to hear his father’s words as he dropped him off, it still didn’t change the fact he was being forced down a path he didn’t want, and he couldn’t help but feel like the room was essentially a jail cell.  With a heavy heart, Yu stepped into the cabin and set down his trunk, allowing the cabin door to swing shut behind him.


End file.
